


Finding The Hidden One

by RoczaDeb



Series: The Hidden One [1]
Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe, Anal Sex, Drugs, Explicit Language, F/M, Friendship, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Minor Violence, Rape, Spoilers, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-05
Updated: 2021-03-05
Packaged: 2021-03-18 14:42:32
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 6
Words: 21,066
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29859660
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RoczaDeb/pseuds/RoczaDeb
Summary: SG-1 gets attacked on a routine mission. Jack and Sam get separated from Daniel and Teal’c and each other.
Relationships: Samantha "Sam" Carter/Jack O'Neill
Series: The Hidden One [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2195292
Comments: 4
Kudos: 25





	1. New Planet, New Problems

**Author's Note:**

> Beginning Notes: Takes place after 0517 Last Stand. This story has been bothering my muse lately. I know that there had to be repercussions for Egeria’s actions. What would Ra do? What happens if a queen was able to run away? Stay hidden. What would she learn about herself? Toss in Jack and Sam and see what happens. 
> 
> As a side note: Anubis will not be half-ascended. He will be powerful, but I don’t see the ascended being stupid. If I tie back to any episodes, Anubis will not have the kind of unkillable power he did in the TV show. Apophis was bad enough and he was mortal. Anubis is a sneaky bastard that the others think is already dead. Smart like Ba’al. Evil as fuck.

SG-1 stepped out the of the wormhole into the cool mountain air and scanned the area. They each spread out to cover their assigned tasks with practiced ease. Years of working together had taught them what needed to be done. Withing minutes, Jack gave the ‘All Clear’ signal.

“Well, this is pleasant,” Jack announced to the group. Making a gesture to the cool mountain temperature surrounding them. “Like Colorado in the early summer.”

“The temperature is most pleasing,” Teal’c seconded from his position nearing the rim of the small bowl the Stargate was located in.

“Which way, Daniel?” Jack asked.

“I believe that this direction would prove the most beneficial,” Teal’c stated from his position at the rim of the bowl. He was staring at something in the distance.

Jack didn’t see any alarm in Teal’s features. That ruled out goa’uld. He walked over to take a look for himself with Daniel and Sam following closely.

The rim of the bowl that the Stargate sat in was positioned high in the mountains. They were well above what looked like a sprawling city around the base of the mountains. In the distance, they could see large farming tracks of land out beyond the city. The city itself seemed to hug the mountains and skirt the fertile land. They could see large vehicles moving over the land without leaving tracks or using roads.

“Wow,” Sam said after taking it all in.

“Definitely, this way,” Daniel said.

“Alright, this way it is,” Jack agreed. “Teal’c help me blaze a trail.” With that the team began the long journey down the mountain side towards the city.

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After taking several hours to hike through the mostly pristine forest, SG-1 is finally nearing the city. The city can be seen in the distance, but for some reason, the forest surrounding it has been left untouched. The ground became rougher, the closer they get to the city.

“I wonder why they left the forest alone,” Sam wondered.

“I don’t know,” Daniel said. “Could be that whatever goa’uld brought them here made them work to avoid the forest for some reason? Or the opposite?”

“I can think of no such false god,” Teal’c chimed in.

“Kids,” Jack called their attention. “I think we found a choke point.”

Jack stood at the top of a natural cliff face. The cliff dropped off sharply, but was climbable. Jack and Teal’c looked at it for several minutes before moving to a different point and finding a path down. It wasn’t as steep. It also didn’t involve climbing gear. Jack led the way down.

Once at the bottom, “Let’s make this our rally point. It’s defensible.”

“Okay, I’m actually surprised we haven’t seen anyone yet. We are pretty close to the city now,” Daniel said.

“Yes, but if that cliff goes any distance I’m not surprised either,” Sam replied. “It is like a natural wall.”

“All the better to keep them off our backs,” Jack quipped.

As they started walking again, “The trees are much thicker down here,” Daniel said.

“Better protected from the winds. More snow,” Jack relayed absently.

“I thought you hated trees,” Daniel told Jack.

“I don’t HATE trees,” Jack said. “I just get annoyed when Earth trees are on alien worlds. I like Earth trees.”

“They are alien worlds. That makes them alien trees,” Daniel said just to annoy Jack.

“You would think so. But that is a Ponderosa Pine Tree,” Jack said pointing. “We are in a Ponderosa Pine Forest. If that is an alien tree, it should be alien. I shouldn’t know it’s life cycle. And THAT is annoying.”

“Point,” Daniel said conceding.

Jack raised his fist to stop everyone.

In the distance a figure could be seen running from right to left. The body hurled past the group barely looking at them as it ran by. It dodged and weaved in between the trees.

Shortly, they heard the pursuit following the figure. A group of armed men. Humans by the look of it. Two figures continued in pursuit of the figure while the rest of the group stopped to confront SG-1.

“Who are you?” the leader of the group demanded.

The group was wearing some kind of uniform. Jack assumed they were the local militia or police.

“Travelers. We are not interfering. The guy went that way,” Jack pointed to where the figure had disappeared.

The leader seemed to glare at them. Then eye them up and down. “You are armed,” he stated.

“Yes, to defend ourselves,” Daniel offered.

“No one is allowed to carry arms. You are all under arrest. Surrender now,” the leader said as he leveled his gun at them. He was now smirking evilly. The rest of his group followed his lead.

“Not gonna happen,” Jack said. Retuning the gesture with his own gun now leveled at the leader.

“We would just like to meet your leaders. Talk to them,” Daniel tried to reason with the man.

“You are under arrest,” the leader repeated. “Take them.”

SG-1 moved before the men could fire. Jack’s weapon fire took out the leader even as he moved behind a tree. “Rally point,” Jack yelled.

With quick and efficient practice, SG-1 retreated to their rally point. At the base of the cliff, they met their first obstacle. The cliff face was open to enemy fire. The SG-1 members each found trees to cover the open cliff face.

“Daniel, go,” Jack yelled.

Daniel was more than halfway up to the top before the men had even caught up to them. The suppressive fire from the rest of SG-1 kept them hiding until Daniel was at the top.

“Teal’c, go,” Jack yelled.

Teal’c went next. He was quick and agile. Much faster than Daniel had been. Jack was counting on his speed and the use of his Staff Weapon once he reached the top.

“Carter, go,” Jack yelled. As soon as he saw the Staff Weapon start up again. But as he moved to change position. He was hit with the enemy fire. He dropped in his place. The field was similar to a zat blast, but a different color. Sam had seen the hit as she hesitated before taking her run.

“Colonel is down. Looks like a zat. I can’t reach him. I’m going for the trees. Cover me,” Sam yelled.

The weapons fire from Daniel and Teal’c rained down on the enemy. The men ducked for cover. Sam ran deep into the trees. She immediately started to change to stealth tactics. She circled around the enemy and found a rocky outcropping. She climbed it and waited.

“SG-1-3&4 niner, this is SG-1-2 niner,” Sam called on the radio.

“Sam?” Daniel replied.

“Hey, I’m safe. I got away. I’m going to follow the Colonel and see if I can get him out. I need you two to go back and tell the SGC what is going on,” Sam relayed her orders.

“Sam, you’re all alone,” Daniel said concerned.

“Daniel, I’ve trained for this. I have to get the Colonel. He wouldn’t leave us. I won’t leave him,” Sam replied.

“Alright… But were coming back for you,” Daniel said.

“I wouldn’t expect anything else, Daniel,” Sam said with a smile.

“Bye, Sam,” Daniel said.

“Out,” Sam replied.

Sam sighed. She could hear the enemy men returning. She pulled her hat low over her bright colored hair and looked over the edge of the rock.

The men had returned to the area below the rock carrying Jack. They had taken his vest and his weapons. He was slung over one man’s shoulder in a fireman carry. Another man carried another body in similar fashion. That one was obviously dead. They made it back to the point where they had originally met the men when they turned to follow their path back.

Sam crept down the rock and followed them through the trees. The group eventually came to a small clearing with a vehicle parked in it. The vehicle had the two men who had pursued the fugitive.

“What happened?” one of the men asked.

“The strangers got rowdy and this one killed Duff,” the one of Sam’s group replied.

“I thought there were four of them,” the other man said.

“There were. They went up the wall. We were able to stun this one. The others got away,” the one from Sam’s group replied.

“Too bad. Four strangers would put us up on the quota. Well, we got eucoireach for the holding area at least,” the other man said.

“Yeah, save us from making up crimes. I still can’t believe that this one is a real eucoireach. A killer at that,” the one from Sam’s group said.

“At least he deserves the sentence,” the other man said. “Not like our man.”

By the time the odd conversation had ended, the Colonel and the body were loaded onto the vehicle and the men all piled into the vehicle. They closed all the doors and the vehicle slowly moved out. Sam briefly let her fascination with the technology overwhelm her as the vehicle hovered over the ground and slowly made it’s way back towards the paved ground.

Once on paved roads, the travel was much faster and Sam could not keep up. She was too conspicuous anyway. She needed to disguise her uniform. Then she needed to find this Holding Area.

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Sam followed the vehicle as far as she could into the city. The outskirts of the city had fairly wide spaces between buildings. Plenty of undergrowth and other visual obstacles that helped Sam to hide in plain sight. But she was unable to keep up with the vehicle.

What Sam did notice is that the local populace seemed to avoid the vehicle as well. Sam took note that the vehicle had a strange red cross pattern on the vehicle roof. That same red cross pattern had been on the uniforms of the group that attacked SG-1.

The rest of the locals wore a variety of patterns and colors, but none came close to the uniforms. Her own uniform would stand out dramatically among the local population. She needed to find a local who would be willing to talk to her.

As the sun was starting to set, Sam singled out a home to approach. She timed her approach with the setting sun at her back. She hoped that would give her time to talk to the local.

Sam snuck up to the door and knocked. The door immediately opened as a woman stood inside. She briefly looked panicked up and down the street before grabbing Sam’s arm and dragging her inside.

“Quickly. Before they see you,” the woman said. The woman quickly locked the door behind Sam and then breathed in relief. “That was close.”

Sam was confused. What was close? Who would see her? “Hello. I’m Major Samantha Carter. I need your help,” Sam said introducing herself.

“I’m glad you came to me,” the woman said. Then she shuddered, “You do NOT want to be outside after dark. The Weard like to come down here since Alistair was taken. I am Ealasaid, but I am often called Ehl.”

“You can call me Sam,” Sam said with a smile. “Ehl, I need clothes to hid my uniform. And if you have some way to disguise my pack. I would appreciate it.”

“Your clothing is outlandish. You say it is a uniform?” Ehl asked.

“Yes. I’m not from here. In my military, I am a Major. This is our uniform,” Sam explained. Then she took off her hat.

“My goodness. Your hair is so short… Oh my goodness, you are a woman…” Ehl exclaimed.

“Yes. I like it short and I am a woman,” Sam said with a smile.

Ehl looked at her critically. “What part of the uniform are you willing to take off?” she asked.

In reply, Sam took off her pack and set it to one side. Then she took off her vest and laid it on top of her pack. She finally took off the BDU shirt top. She still had the t-shirt on and it was much warmer inside the home. Sam decided to remove her weapons belt and holsters.

“I would like to keep the rest. Better if I could still wear the weapons belt. I don’t like to be with it,” Sam said.

“Weapons? Like a stunner?” Ehl asked.

“I’m not sure what a stunner looks like. If it looks sort of like this,” Sam said as she pulled out her M-9 pistol. “Or this,” she said as she displayed the zat. “Then yes, weapons. I am in the military for a reason.”

Ehl looked at her with a considering look. “It is good to know that women can defend themselves in other places,” she said. “Alright, I think I have a dress that will work. It may even cover your belt.”

Ehl took off towards the back of the home. Sam could hear her rattling things around in the back for a few minutes before returning with a huge basket and some folded cloth. She placed the basket down and shook out the cloth. It was a dress. A long and loosely flowing dress. The top of the dress would cover the t-shirt and go to her wrists and billow widely over her hands. The bottom of the dress billowed out at the waist. It created huge folds of cloth that would disguise her weapons belt. It did look like it would work.

“Let’s try it on,” Sam said. She put the weapons belt back on and wiggled it down across her hips. She reattached the gun and zat holsters. She then pulled the dress on over her head. It was loose. It was slightly too short for her boots. But not by much. “How do I look?” Sam asked.

“Not like an outlander,” Ehl said with a smile.

“Then it will work. The basket?” Sam asked.

“For your pack. This is a large laundry basket. You can easily carry one through the middle of town and no one will give you a second look. You may want to wrap cloth around your head. Your hair is too short. It will stand out,” Ehl said.

“Okay,” Sam replied. She immediately began trying to fit her pack in the basket. When it initially failed, Sam decided to unpack her bag and repack it in the basket. That worked much better. She even had room for her P-90 and vest in the basket. The basket even had shoulder hooks to make carrying it easier.

“Thank you. This will help me blend in quite well. I had better leave now…” Sam started.

“You can’t leave now… It is after dark,” Ehl hurried to stop her.

“You said that before. Why can’t I leave after dark?” Sam asked.

Ehl sighed, “Because only eucoireach or bean-sìthe go into Moray after darkness has fallen. Tuig?” Ehl said.

Sam was confused. This is where Daniel would work wonders. These people had obviously been exported from Earth sometime in the past. They evolved. Some of the words almost sounded like words she knew.

“What do those words mean? Bean-sìthe? Eucoireach? Tuig?” Sam asked.

“Bean-sìthe is a woman of the fey. She cries for attention,” Ehl said patiently. “You really don’t know these things? Where are you from Outlander?”

“Bean sí? Banshee? If you mean banshee, then I have heard of that. But it is not a woman, per say. It cries out like a woman in the night for the dead. It has been referred to as the Wailing Woman. Tuig? Twig? Dig? Do you mean, understand?” Sam asked still confused.

“According to our Slaugh-lùl, any man who is out after dark is guilty of breaking the law. Eucoireach. A few years ago, the clann rose up against the Slaugh-lùl for treating women like eucoireach. Women are not thrown into the thàill slubhail. Only the men. But any woman found after dark is often èignich. Her words are ignored by the Weard. The clann believe it is the Weard who violate the women. But the Weard just say she was Bean-sìthe. She is ignored,” Ehl said with anger in her voice.

“I’m trying to understand. Weard are the guys wearing the uniforms, right?” Sam asked.

“Yes,” Ehl replied.

“Thàill sounds like the word thrall in my language. Does it mean unpaid laborer? Slave?” Sam asked again.

“Yes. Your word is strange, but it does sound like mine,” Ehl said.

“Slubhail sounds like subhill. Subterranean digging. To unearth something. Does that sound like the labor being done?” Sam asked.

“Yes, they unearth minerals in the ground used in our industrial processes,” Ehl said.

“Okay. I think we are getting it. Clann sounds exactly like clan or people in my language. Based on the context you used it, Slaugh-lùl is your leadership body that makes your laws. Your government,” Sam said.

“Exactly correct,” Ehl agreed.

“Your government really said that any man out after dark is a criminal? And because they don’t want to imprison women they ignore when a woman is sexually assaulted? And your police or Weard are the ones who are doing the assaulting, but because she is a banshee, she asked for it?” Sam asked for clarification.

“Yes,” Ehl said.

“What the fuck?” Sam asked. “How are the people standing for this crap?”

“The clann? Many have brought their arguments to the Slaugh-lùl. Those same men disappear or are arrested by the Weard,” Ehl said. “My dear Alistair was one of them. The clann are afraid.”

Sam sighed, “In my own country, the people were afraid until they were too pissed to be afraid. Then they revolted against their government. Violent and bloody. But my country is now free of that other country. You look nearly pissed enough to stop being afraid.”

“Thank you,” Ehl replied. “What of you? Why are you in Moray?”

Sam grimaced, “My team goes to new places to meet new people. The four of us are small enough not to threaten, but large enough to defend ourselves. When we approached your city, Moray, I think we ran into the Weard. They were chasing a man through the forest. We didn’t interfere. Most of the Weard stopped to talk to us. Two continued chasing the man.

“We introduced ourselves and asked to see your leadership. The Weard team leader saw our weapons and tried to arrest us for having them. We refused. The Weard team leader died before the rest of his team moved. We retreated to a fallback point. Two of our team made it to the top of the choke point. I was about to attempt it when our team leader was shot… I think it was one of your stunners. I couldn’t climb to safety.

“I sent the other two back to radio our situation. Then I followed the Weard back to their vehicle. I overhear them say they are taking him to the holding area. They also said he deserved his sentence, not like the other man. Do you know what they are talking about?” Sam asked.

“There is only one sentence in Moray. Tràill Slubhail. The Holding Area is where they take all the eucoireach they have arrested before they transport them to Tràill Slubhail,” Ehl said. “They truly said the other man was undeserving of the label eucoireach?”

“Yes, they had to meet a quota. The man and my teammate were supposed to go towards that quota,” Sam replied.

“To get to the Holding Area, you will need your rest. I will provide a map. Most homes will let you in at sunset to avoid the Weard. Come and rest. You can leave at first light,” Ehl said firmly. Ehl then directed her to a small room with a bed and a door.

Sam moved her gear into the room and ate a MRE before trying to sleep. She knew that she was as safe as she could get. She couldn’t keep watch all night by herself. But she could put her basket in front of the door and her gun under her pillow.

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	2. Crossing Moray

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sam is following the trail across the foreign city to find Jack. Can she do this alone?

Sam left the home at the edge of the city after receiving the map of the city. Of course, she couldn’t read the text, but Ehl was kind enough to mark the turns and general path that Sam needed to take. Ehl also marked the Holding facility on the map.

The main turn Ehl was concerned with was marked with a transport dealer on one corner. However, because the street also led to the Holding Facility, it had an unusually high concentration of Weard. Ehl told Sam that the Weard could still single her out for attention. Sam’s best course of action was to avoid the attention of the Weard.

Ehl’s last gift had been a hand bag to throw over her shoulder. Ehl said that she could keep one of her weapons in the bag and accessible over the dress. Sam also thought it was a good place to keep the copy of the map, her knife, her canteen, and few power bars. It was large enough to hold it all and made her look even more like a local. Sam like it. She thanked Ehl one last time and headed out.

The early morning traffic was fairly light. A few of the transport vehicles were present, but most of the locals seemed to walk to their destinations. They took their time and chatting up with their neighbors. Sam made sure to smile and wave at the other locals as she made her way deeper into the city.

One thing that kept bothering Sam was the lack of media. At this level of technology, these people should have some sort of local media to spread common messages across the local population. At the very least, the local government should have a method for passing on information to the people.

Ehl had told her how the people would rise up in protest when the government did something horrible. But everywhere Sam looked, there didn’t seem to be any form of media. Ehl didn’t have any kind of radio or television in her home. They had text and writing. Where where the newspapers? The magazines? At this level of technology, Sam would even expect a kind of cell phone or table device. But she could see nothing. All information seemed to pass from mouth to mouth. It made Sam wonder if this society was at a crisis point.

Before the American Revolution, writings decrying the King in England were common, but hidden from plain sight. Revolutionaries did not want the loyalists to get word of what was going on in the colonies. But the public newspapers were still written and slanted toward loyalist views.

Here in Moray, Sam couldn’t even find the public newspapers or equivalent. The people were definitely not loyal to the government. The Weard were entirely a government organization and the people hated them. Sam wasn’t sure what to make of it.

Around high noon, Sam noticed that one of the Weard was taking too much notice of her. It was not a good notice either. He was leering and trying to figure out how to mentally rape her. Sam was having a hard time not reaching for her knife. At that point, Sam had decided that the gun was too fast for scum like him. She wanted him to suffer.

But Sam’s reason prevailed and she instead pulled into a small open shop. She kept her hands on the strap of her bag.

“What can I do for you, lass?” The shop keep greeted her with a warm smile.

Sam returned the smile, “I am hoping to avoid that overly obnoxious Weard following me. You can just nod and smile.”

“Ah, I know exactly what you mean, lass,” the shop keep said. He kept his smile on as he randomly showed her some fruit. “I can see the man. He still has an unusual interest in you.”

“A creepy interest. I prefer to avoid him,” Sam said while pointing at another fruit.

“Yes. He is not the first to single out women on the street. The Weard think they can get away with disgracing our women. They are no more than tòraiche. If only they could be sent to the Tràill Slubhail, instead of good men,” the shop keep said as he smiled and picked out yet another fruit. “He seems to be moving on.”

“I’ll wait just a bit more. Just to make sure he is gone,” Sam replied.

“That is a good plan, lass. Where are you headed? That one may try to follow you and find you before dark,” the shop keep said, his smile gone now that the Weard was no longer watching.

“I am making my way to the Holding Area,” Sam replied. “I intend to find a home before dark.”

“The Holding Area? Have the Weard taken someone from you?” the shop keep asked concerned.

“They have. I intend to get him back. With violence if necessary,” Sam replied grimly. She was finding that most of the local on her side more than she first thought.

“Well, if you make it all the way to the Holding Area, it is located in a plaza. Across from the Holding Area is a small shop run by a woman named Catrina. She is a good woman and has no love of the Weard. Her home is above her shop,” the shop keep said.

“Thank you,” Sam replied. “I will seek her out.”

The shop keep nodded, and then sighed, “But I want to warn you, lass. Once the Weard has emptied the Holding Area to the Tràill Slubhail, your man is likely gone. None have ever returned from that place. None of the clann believe what the Slaugh-lùl say… that the men taken there are well cared for anymore.”

“Thank you, again. I hope to reach the Holding Area before it is emptied, but I can press on to Tràill Slubhail, if I must. As I said, I will use violence if necessary,” Sam said. “He will survive. He must.” Sam didn’t want to even consider any other option. Jack would survive. He had too. She needed him too much.

“As you will, lass. I wish you fair travels,” the shop keep said as Sam departed.

With the new information, Sam pressed forward in her travels on the streets of Moray. It was in late afternoon when she finally began to see the cross roads where she needed to turn. Ehl had been right. The Weard were in strength on the cross roads. Most of them looked bored.

As Sam was watched, several of the Weard accosted several of the women traveling across the cross roads. A few of the local men tried to get between the Weard and the women, but are immediately accused to trying to interfere with an official inquisition. One of the Weard had grabbed a woman’s breast as he loudly demanded to know where she is heading.

Sam decided at that point to avoid the cross roads. She sees a small road leading off of this one. She slips unseen into the small street. She made her way down a ways before consulting her map. She marked the new street and found that it goes paralleled to the road she wanted to turn on for several blocks. She could turn onto the street she wanted at any point.

Sam eyed the new street. She found that it is similar to an alley. It didn’t have access to the businesses that the main street would have. But it did have privacy. She smiled and made her way down two blocks before she tried to head to the main street.

Sam’s way was blocked by a Weard. He appeared to be alone at the end of the small connecting street. As Sam considered her options as the Weard tried to make a grab at a passing woman’s ass. Sam abruptly changed her mind. Her options had changed to one.

Sam moved back to the cross roads of the two small streets. She examined them both minutely. She nodded at her decision that THIS would make the perfect ambush spot. The balcony down the first narrow street was invisible from the one the Weard was located on. Sam stalked down the narrow street to the next cross roads and gently settled her basket with her pack. She quickly removed the bag and dress. She now stood in just her t-shirt, weapons belt, BDU pants, and boots. She added her vest and gloves. Her last addition is her knife.

Sam gave an almost gleeful smile as she set out to remove one of this world’s raping assholes. She walked back to her ambush spot. She climbed onto the balcony with a few stones to use as a lure. Then she peeked around the corner towards the Weard.

Sam let out a very feminine laugh and tossed a stone to make noise on the ground. She watched the man turn around and leer down the street before stalking down to find the source of the laughter. The man didn’t even hesitate as he neared the cross roads. He just walked into the new street fully expecting to find the woman he intended to molest in the dark, narrow street. Sam wanted to laugh at his confusion when he couldn’t find anyone. She waited until he was in position below her. Then she jumped. She used both of her hands to grab the man’s head and hold on tight as her body swung with force past the man. Using the weight of her body and her grip on the man’s head, Sam snaped the man’s neck. He dropped to the ground dead.

Sam felt grimly satisfied with her kill. But she also wanted to send a message to those in power that it was NOT okay to let these assholes molest women for no reason. Or AT ALL. She was staring at the body and took note of the man’s radio. An ironic punishment came to mind.

Sam went back to her gear and found a frequency device. She used it often to find sources of radio, light, or radiation. She went back to the body and used the device. It zeroed in at his hip.

Sam looked but could only see his stun gun. She pulled it out of the holster and tried the device again. This time it zeroed in on the stun gun.

Interesting. They track their guns. Sam examined the gun and removed the power device. That often turned off signals. But the signal was still there. Sam looked at the weapons more closely and noted that inside the housing for the power source, was a small sticky electronic device. She removed it. Her frequency device zeroed in on the sticky device. It was a tracker of some kind. She set it aside and went back to the body.

With the tracker further away, Sam discovered that the radios were a two-part device. She found the second part and examined it. She felt confident that she could modify it easily. She moved back to the tracker and shoved it up his nose. Next, Sam pulled down the man’s pants and cut off his balls. She placed the detached balls on the man’s chest.

Sam quickly washed her hands of the blood and cleaned her knife. Then she modified the radio to emit a piercing, screeching wail. It almost sounded like a lament. It definitely fit Sam’s version of a Banshee who predicted death. Smiling at the product of her work, Sam grabbed up the stun gun and quickly left the area.

When Sam made it back to her basket of gear, she quickly redressed and packed her gear. She loaded her basket on her back and took off down the narrow street to the next cross street. She had just turned when she noticed activity by the body. She smiled and ducked out of sight.

This small street did not have a Weard guarding the entrance. Sam made the main street and moved unnoticed among the locals heading in the direction of the Holding Area. Sam took satisfaction in seeing the number of Weard jogging past her towards the dead body. Her message was definitely being seen and heard.

It was only as Sam neared the Holding Area at twilight that she realized it had also become a distraction. There were no Weard in the Holding Area. She quickly took in the plaza that the Holding Area was located on. She found several shops on the opposite side. She went to the first one.

A woman was starting to close up the shop.

“I am looking for Catrina. I was sent to her for shelter in the dark,” Sam said quickly. She had noted that darkness was closing fast and no one else was in the plaza.

“I am Catrina. Come inside,” Catrina invited her inside.

Sam helped her close the shop up before turning back to her. “Thank you. I had to come a long ways. I had hoped to be here before dark, but was delayed.”

“At the cross roads, most likely,” Catrina said with a frown. “The damn Weard are getting bold.”

“Bolder than you think. They were accosting women in the middle of the day. When men tried to stop it, they accused them of interfering in a government interrogation,” Sam told her.

“What were they interrogating for?” Catrina asked angrily.

“At the time, where the women were going. I think they may have changed their questions later,” Sam replied with a soft smile.

“Humpf,” Catrina grumped. “Come this way. You said you were sent to me?” she asked.

“Yes. I need the assistance of a shop keep to keep a Weard from taking too much attention in me. He is the one who sent me to you when he found out where I was heading,” Sam said.

Catrina nodded, “The shops try to keep in touch. Why were you heading here?”

“The Holding Area. I need to observe how the guard schedule is set and kept. Look for weaknesses. I intend to attack it,” Sam said grimly.

“Well, I can definitely help you with that. During the day, I can even have you assist me in the shop so you can watch the Holding Area,” Catrina said sadly. “You lost a man to them,” Catrina stated it as a fact. It wasn’t a question.

“Yes,” Sam replied.

“Come. After dark falls, you can still watch. It is easier from the roof,” Catrina said.

Catrina showed Sam a room to place her things and then took her up to the roof. The twilight had made the night sky glow. Sam could see all the stars that had fueled her imagination for so long. It made her heart hurt. She liked to share the campfire off-world with Jack as they took in the untouched night sky.

Sam sighed and turned her attention back to the Holding Area. The squat building was an eyesore. It had a vehicle entrance with a fenced area and a doorway to the plaza. Other than that, it was unremarkable. It had no tower positions. Not guards. No other notable defenses. However, this planet was a more technologically advanced. The defenses may not be noticeable.

“That’s odd,” Catrina said out of the blue. “The Weard should be out in force and starting to leave the building. Where are they?”

Sam smiled. Catrina noticed the smile.

“You said earlier that the Weard would change their questions later. Why did you say that?” Catrina asked.

Sam sighed and decided to get comfortable. “Because I am not from around here.” She pulled the dress off over her head and stretched. “I avoided the cross roads by taking a side street. I watch a Weard molest a passing woman. I decided to make a statement. I setup an ambush. I killed the Weard man. I stole his stun gun. I cut off his balls. I then set his radio to wail.”

Catrina looked alarmed, “You stole his stunner? They track them.”

“Not this one. I found the tracking beacon and left it on his body. I checked it and this one is untraceable,” Sam reassured her.

Catrina lost her alarmed look and instead looked intrigued, “Can you show me?”

“Yes.” Sam pulled out the stun gun. She removed the power cell. “It was stuck to the side of the power cell housing. It was about this long and this wide.” Sam showed her the tip of her index finger. “But flat. Take that out of the stun gun and leave it on the Weard. They find the Weard, not the gun.”

“Do you need this stunner?” Catrina asked.

“No, I took it out of habit. You can have it,” Sam said. They lapsed into silence for a while. “I’m going to watch up here for a while, if you need to do anything else,” Sam said as she took in the Holding Area once more.

“Alright. You will be safe from the Weard up here. I’ll talk to you in the morning then,” Catrina said as she left.

SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG

Sam spent the next five days working for Catrina while trying to find a weakness in the Holding Area defense. She had watched as more men were taken into the facility but she could only see the occasional vehicle leave the compound. Each one was the car type she had seen that first day.

Worse, no one ever went near the Holding Area. EVER. Sam couldn’t just walk by casually. Because no one ever did that. Sam did examine the facility from the other sides. But they were even less informative than this one. This side was the only one with an entrance and an exit. This side is the only one with a gate. Short of Sam pulling a Terminator move, she just didn’t see how she could make it into the facility and eliminate the Weard in the facility.

Likewise, Sam had not heard from Daniel or Teal’c. Her radio had been silent the entire time she had been here. She was logically too far from the Stargate to receive any radio transmission from that distance. However, she should be able to receive a signal from close. She knew Daniel and Teal’c would not leave her or Jack behind. But still, it was frustrating.

“Excuse me, lass. Would you be the one called Sam?” a customer asked. He was a well-dressed man. Local.

“I am. May I help you?” Sam asked. This was the first time a customer had asked for her.

“I hope so, lass. The man I work for would like to meet with you if you have the time,” the man said.

Sam debated all the reasons why some local guy would WANT to meet her. “How does you boss feel about the Weard?” Sam asked.

The man smiled, “He despises the very ground they walk on.”

Well, that sounded like an endorsement in his favor. “I have time. It will have to be with plenty of time to be back before nightfall,” Sam replied.

“Of course, I will wait here until you are ready,” the man said with a smile.

Sam went through her feelings on the man and decided that he ‘felt’ right. She went and informed Catrina that she would be meeting this man’s boss. Catrina looked over the man and smiled. That gave Sam another good feeling. Catrina knew who the boss was just by looking at the man. Good.

But Sam was cautious. She ran upstairs to get her bag with her zat, her gun, her knife, and a few power bars. Now, she was ready.

“I’m ready. Lead on,” Sam said to the man.

“This way then, lass,” the man gestured and led her out the door of the shop. It was a surprisingly short walk. They entered another compound with a fenced vehicle enclosure. The building housed several offices and a large open area that led to a second level. Sam was led to another room where she found a man working at a desk. He looked up as they entered.

“Boyd, I’m glad you could convince her to come. Thank you,” the man behind the desk said.

“Of course, Artair. Call me if you need me,” Boyd said as he left and shut the door behind him.

Sam stepped into the room and took a seat at one of the chairs some distance from the desk. “You wanted to talk with me,” Sam stated.

“I did. My men have noticed you watching the Holding Area. After I talked to my people, none of them know who you are. But they all acknowledge that you have no love for the Weard. Why are you watching the Holding Area? What do you hope to gain from it?” Artair asked.

Sam considered the man. He was well-dressed, well-groomed. He appeared to be in charge of this operation. He had sources across the town that didn’t recognize her. Not that they would. He could be an ally in taking the Holding Area. Maybe she didn’t have to go all Terminator.

“The Weard took someone from me. I intend to get him back. I will use force, if necessary,” Sam told him.

“Alright. The Weard clear out eucoireach when they reach ten men. Once they hit that number they send the ten to the Tràill Slubhail. The last time they cleared out the eucoireach was six days ago. Do you know when they took your man?” Artair asked.

“Shit! I just missed him. Do you know where the Tràill Slubhail is located? How heavily it is guarded? How to get there?” Sam asked.

Artair seemed to consider her for a minute. Finally, he said, “I do. But I would like to know if you would be willing to have someone else ask you a question first?”

Sam needed to get to Jack. She was desperate to get to him. “Yes.”

Artair’s eyes flashed and his entire posture changed. Sam had seen this happen to her father when Selmak took control. Was Artair a Tok’ra?

“Sam, would you be willing to hide me and keep me safe from harm in exchange for the information you need to free your man?” the symbiote in Artair asked. Sam noticed that Artair’s voice did not change. Interesting.

“Are you a Tok’ra?” Sam asked the symbiote.

“I am not. I have not heard of the Tok’ra. However, if they are against Ra, I fully support them,” the symbiote said.

Sam was confused. This symbiote didn’t know Ra was dead. It had not heard of the Tok’ra. “What is your name?” Sam asked, hoping it would help her figure out who the symbiote was.

“I have not used a name in thousands of years, since I fled Ra. I have hidden. I have only used the name of my current host. I only come out when it is time to change hosts,” the symbiote said with a sad sigh. “I don’t think I want to remember.”

Now Sam felt sorry for it. “Is there any other condition besides hiding you?” Sam asked. It was a goa’uld. It had never heard of the Tok’ra. Hell, even the Tok’ra had taken her over forcefully for its own ends. “What’s the catch?”

“There is no other condition. I have been hiding from Ra for thousands of years. I want to continue to hide. I only ask that when the time comes to pass to another person, that the person also does so willingly to hide me. The risk is great to both of us. I will not force someone to take that burden,” the symbiote said.

Yeah, Sam definitely felt sorry for it now. Shit! “What kind of information can you provide?”

“To free your man. I have detailed maps of the terrain leading to the facility they are kept at. I know the layout of the internal mine shafts. I know the number of Weard at the facility. I can provide all of that internally where there is no external evidence that you have the information on your person. I can assist in your health as well,” the symbiote said.

The symbiote faded to the background and Artair came back to the front, “I can also provide resources and equipment, as needed.”

Damn it. This is a damn good deal. Hide the snake. Free Jack. Get all kinds of help that YOU need being all alone on a hostile world. Shit! Then Sam though of the scenario that she didn’t want to consider. Jack hurt or killed. FUCK! “And if my man is injured or dead? If he can’t be freed?” Sam hated herself for asking.

The symbiote came to the front again, “I will do everything in my power to ensure you get what you need to determine the status of your man. I will help you free him, if it is possible.”

“But even you cannot do the impossible,” Sam finished for the symbiote.

“I’m afraid not,” the symbiote said.

“Then I accept. What do you need me to do?” Sam asked.

Artair smiled, “You do not need to do anything. Stay seated. I will bring her to you.” With that statement Artair closed his eyes and opened his mouth. The goa’uld symbiote slowly slithered out of his mouth and onto his hand. When it was all the way out, Altair closed his mouth and shook his head.

The symbiote gave a small chirp at him and he smiled, “I am fine. It is just odd not hearing your voice.” He stood up and walked over to Sam and held the symbiote wrapped around one arm.

Sam swallowed when she saw the size of the symbiote, but she was reassured by how Artair acted after the symbiote was removed. She closed her eyes and opened her mouth. She felt the symbiote bite into the back of her throat and felt the pain very briefly before she was overwhelmed by the choking sensation of swallowing the large symbiote. That feeling too passed.

Sam waited until she felt the tentative touch of another mind in hers. She greeted it and slowly opened her eyes.

Artair was watching them with a concerned look, “Are you alright?”

Sam smiled at him, “I’m fine. We both are.”

“Good,” Artair said with relief.

“I have to go get my things. When I return, I will have some idea of what kind of resources I will need. I think I can make it to the shop and back before dark,” Sam replied.

“I think you are correct. I will tell Boyd to look for you,” Artair said.

“Thank you,” Sam said as she left. Her mind was already racing with what she needed to get in order before she could leave and what she would need once she got there.

SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG

As Sam walked back to the shop, she would ask the goa’uld questions. What type of weapons they used? How many men were in place? How often they received news from Moray?

_You love him_ , the symbiote said suddenly.

_What?_ Sam asked it.

_The man we are trying to save. Jack. You love him,_ they symbiote said.

Sam couldn’t really deny it. The goa’uld was in her head. It could read her feelings. _Yes,_ she said. _But it doesn’t change anything._

_Do you think he still loves you?_ the symbiote asked.

_I don’t know,_ Sam replied. _We haven’t talked about it. Well, we aren’t allowed to talk about it. Or do anything about it. Keeping our planet safe is more important._

_But you said Ra is dead,_ the symbiote pointed out.

_Yes, and now all the other System Lords want to stake claim on Ra’s old stomping grounds,_ Sam said with a sigh. _You know we can’t go back to Earth. You won’t be safe there._

_I can sense that the dangers are different, but still dangerous. Do you know what has happened to my other sisters?_ the symbiote asked.

Sam walked into the shop. “Catrina, I’m going to leave. Artair has information for me. Thank you for all your help,” Sam said out loud.

“It has been a pleasure to help you, Sam. I have been teaching the others your method of stealing the stunners. You have helped us. I have continued your punishment on the Weard. Now many of the Weard are attacked across Moray,” Catrina said with a grin.

“The Wail of the Banshee. Will men ever learn to never to piss off women? We take revenge personally,” Sam said grinning.

“Already, the Slaugh-lùl is afraid,” Catrina said.

“They should have been afraid when the Weard were molesting women. Too fucking late now,” Sam said. She waved goodbye to Catrina and ran upstairs to grab the rest of her things. She packed the last few items in her basket and lifted it on her back. Then ran down stairs and exited the shop.

Once on the street, Sam asked, _which sisters?_

_Bastet, Isis, Amaunet, Hera, Aphrodite, Anut, Hathor,_ the symbiote listed the goa’uld queens.

_Bastet is a System Lord. Isis was in a broken statis jar and died. Amaunet died in her host. Hathor died in her host. I have not heard of the status of Hera, Aphrodite, or Anut,_ Sam replied as she made her way back to Artair’s compound. _Why ask only about the queens?_

_They are the only ones I knew,_ the symbiote said. _Ra kept us all separate from the rest. He feared contamination from Egeria’s children._

_Well, Ra pissed off Egeria. All her children became the Tok’ra. A symbol for why he should not do that again. But then he pissed you off,_ Sam pointed out. _You left. You never met any of Egeria’s children, but the idea of them freed you._

_You are right. And he couldn’t even breed without a queen,_ the symbiote said.

Sam gave her an internal laugh. _He was an idiot to think that he could control you or any queen. Ideas cannot be stopped. Only slowed down. Ra banned writing on Abydos to prevent rebellion. Then Jack and Daniel showed up. They started the rebellion on Abydos. Ra died._

Sam showed up at Artair’s compound. _Time to get to work._ She set her gear in a small room reserved for guests that have to stay overnight. Then outlined everything she would need up at Tràill Slubhail.

SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG


	3. Captive Again, Oh Joy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack wakes up from a fire fight to being captive again. He makes a plan to escape. He just needs the right set of circumstances to make it happen.

Jack abruptly became aware of himself again. He froze. He had been in a firefight. SG-1 was at the Rally Point. Teal’c and Daniel had made it to the top of the cliff. Carter was going to attempt it next. Jack had moved to provide her cover from another position…

That was the last thing Jack could actually remember.

Jack kept his body loose and ready. He tried to absorb his surroundings though his other senses. He could tell that they had taken his vest and his BDU shirt. He still had his BDU pants and boots. Big plus. Deep breathing let him know he still had his belt as well.

The room was cool, but not cold. The floor felt hard, like cement. It smelled musty. He could detect the odors of living bodies, human waste, and mold. He could also hear quiet talking. It wasn’t too panicked or angry. It sounded resigned and afraid.

That’s not good. Jack focused on the conversation.

“You know that they will come soon,” the more panicky voice said.

“Yes,” replied the resigned voice. “There are ten now. They will move us.”

“The Weard…” the panicked voice stopped in fear.

“Are only agents of the Slaugh-lùl. They do what they are told. The problem is the Slaugh-lùl. Until the clann sees that, the Weard will continue to harm the clann,” the resigned voice said.

Weird? Slaw? Clan? What kind of hell had SG-1 found this time?

“The clann are afraid. Moray is overrun by the Weard. The clann do nothing. Just look at that boy…” the panicky voice said.

“Yes, look at that boy. Ian purchased his breakfast. He took it to eat. The Weard waited until he was alone before they accused him of theft. They KNEW he had made the purchase. They KNEW he would have support in his claims. They waited until he was alone. No support for the arrest. He is innocent,” the resigned voice said firmly. “They KNEW he was innocent. The Weard grow desperate to fill their quotas now that there are no crimes. The clann made sure they could not arrest women. But no Weard has been arrested for èignich. Instead the woman is considered bean-sìthe and ignored. The problem lies in the Slaugh-lùl.”

“And to speak against the Slaugh-lùl is to invite arrest or disappearance,” another resigned voice said.

“How do you know?” the panicky voice asked.

“Because I was arrested just the day after I protested the actions of the Weard,” the new voice said.

“Fionlagh, you cannot be sure the Slaugh-lùl sent the Weard after you,” the first resigned voice said.

“Yes, I can,” Fionlagh said. “I was accused and arrested just like Ian was, Tam. I fear you were arrested because of your friendship with me.”

Jack was more confused now than he had when he woke up. Why was he in a cell with political prisoners? But the names helped him figure out the origins of these people. They were Gaelic.

Jack remembered enough about the O’Neill family history to know that the Irish were of Gaelic descent. Clan O’Neill was meant to mean the entire family. Adopted and blood. The way these people were talking, the word clann meant the population. All the people.

But why was Jack with them? He was definitely NOT a political prisoner. He had killed on of their men.

Jack decided that he had gained all the information he would get with his other senses. Time to visually collect information and maybe make some new friends. Political prisoners were not the most dangerous people physically. Mentally though…

Jack let out a soft moan to alert the others to his being awake. The soft talking had stopped in response. Interesting.

Jack finally rolled over onto his back and cracked his eyes. The room was dark enough. No window. A small covered light fixture provided barely any illumination. He slowly sat up to take in the room.

The room was spartan. Benches formed along the walls. They were firmly attached to the wall. In one corner was a seat with a hole. Jack assumed that this consisted of the bathroom facilities. It was also the direction of the human waste smell.

In the opposite corner was another raised bench. On it were several cups next to a hole. Jack hoped that was for water. The rest of the bench was empty. A small door lined the back of only that bench. Interesting.

The door was in the center of one of the narrow walls. It was solid metal. It had no handles or hinges. A small barred window allowed the guards to see into the cell. The rest of the walls were bare. The floor was bare. Jack would say that this was a very secure cell, and he had seen more than his fair share of cells.

“Are you alright, lad?” the first resigned voice said.

Jack turned to look at the man. He put face with the voice. Tam was the man’s name. The man was about Jack’s age. Lad? Really?

“I’m confused, but physically I’m fine. What happened?” Jack asked.

“You were brought in here with Ian,” Tam said softly while gesturing to another young man. “You have only now recovered from the effects of the stunner.”

Jack looked over to here where Tam had indicated. He noted the young man named Ian. He was the same man SG-1 had seen fleeing in the woods before all hell broke out.

“He recovered first?” Jack asked.

“Yes. Most likely because they had arrested and stunned him first. I am called Tam,” Tam introduced himself.

“Nice to meet you Tam. I’m Jack,” Jack replied.

“Jock?” Tam replied. “I have a son name Jock.” He said with a smile and then he frowned. “I fear for my family now that I will be taken to Tràill Slubhail.”

“Jack… How long do those stunners last?” Jack asked focusing on gathering intel.

“Once you have been hit with a blast, the stunning effect lasts for half a day. Ian only woke from the affects a short time ago,” the other resigned voice had said. “I am Fionlagh. You can call me Finn.”

“Finn,” Jack said with a nod of his head. Half-a-day? Shit.

“Why did the Weard arrest you?” Finn asked. “We are all going to the same place. I thought it might be nice to know who the eucoireach were with me.”

“Weird?” Jack asked. “Were those the guys chasing Ian?” Jack was starting to get the feeling SG-1 had run into a different variant of Nazi out here in the galaxy. Just their luck the Gestapo was called weird.

“Yes,” Ian answered. “I am sorry I led them to you and your friends.”

“Don’t worry, kid. If it is any consolation, one of them is dead. Maybe more. I kind of don’t recall the rest of that firefight,” Jack replied to reassure Ian.

“What do you mean?” Finn asked him.

“My team was walking in the woods heading for your city. We saw Ian run by being chased by a bunch of guys in uniform. We didn’t interfere. That has gone badly in the past for us. Sorry, Ian,” Jack said.

“Tuig. I thought the woods were abandoned. I tried to avoid you when I saw you,” Ian replied.

“No harm, no foul,” Jack said. “Anyway, most of the uniforms break off from chasing Ian to stop and talk to us. Daniel does his peaceful explorer speech. The head uniform just glares and accuses us of carrying weapons, which we were. Again, bad experiences. He tells us to surrender to their arrest. I tell him no. I take him out as my team breaks for the rally point. After that we were in a running gun battle with the rest of the uniforms. I know Daniel and Teal’c made it to the safe zone. Carter was about to try when I woke up here,” Jack said.

Tam and Finn were staring at him with wide eyes and open mouths. But another man looked at Jack with a calculating eye.

“You are laogh,” the man said. “I am called Teàrlagh.”

“It depends on what a laogh is…” Jack replied.

“One who fights,” Teàrlagh replied.

“A warrior. Yes, I fight for my planet and my team. But we came here to make friends and meet people,” Jack said.

“I do not think the Slaugh-lùl wants any friends. It is unfortunate that you met the Weard first,” Finn said softly.

But Teàrlagh smiled, “I think it is most fortunate. You are an outsider. The Weard have only dealt with the clann. The clann are mostly cowed into doing what the Slaugh-lùl want. You are just what the clann needs to remove the Slaugh-lùl from power.”

Jack sighed. He hated politicians on every planet. “This is not my planet. You want them gone, then get rid of them. There are more of you than them. If you are willing to fight for it, then you are willing to die for it.”

“We are already condemned to death,” the panicky voice spoke up. “There are ten of us now.”

“Not to death, Tavish, to the Tràill Slubhail,” Tam said reassuringly. “They are supposed to feed and shelter us there. We just cannot leave.”

“It is still our death to our lives here,” Tavish said in a panic.

“What is the Tràill Slubhail?” Jack asked. “I assume it is a prison of some kind.”

“Yes,” Tam said. “It is where eucoireach were put to work for their food and shelter digging out a needed mineral in the ground. When the Slaugh-lùl ran out of eucoireach, they declared it a place to put the clann without a home. Now, if you are arrested, you are sent there regardless of your crime.”

“It’s a mine run on slave labor,” Jack reiterated. “I can work with that. How long has it been in operation? Do you know how many miners are in the mine?” Jack was already planning on how best to escape. He had escaped from mines before.

“The Tràill Slubhail has been in operation for decades. Millions of the clann have been sent there. None have returned,” Finn said grimly.

“Millions?” Jack clarified. No mine was big enough to house millions of living people. If no one had returned, there was a very good chance that this was the equivalent of a gas house the SS used to kill millions of Jewish people during World War II.

“Which is why it is a death sentence,” Tavish said.

“But the mineral still shows up at the factories…” Tam pled with Tavish.

Wait, Jack had heard these guys talk about them moving the prisoners when they had ten people.

“Why is the number ten important?” Jack asked.

“The Weard only move the newly arrested once they have reached ten prisoners. We are now ten,” Finn said.

Jack started to try and figure out why they would wait until they had ten. The mineral they needed was still showing up. It was still being mined. But the mine had a high enough turnover that they needed new workers. Currently, that number had stabilize at around ten.

Right then, the door on the raised bench opened. Bowls were pushed into the room and the door closed. The men got up and took a bowl. Ah, meal time. Jack took the last bowl and saw that it was the standard prison fare, gruel. Joy!

Jack ate his meal and returned the bowl. He examined the cups and basin to see that it was water. It flowed and drained to keep it clean. Jack took a few cups. He set the cup back down and wandered over to the toilet facilities. After a quick use, he was bored again.

About an hour later, the window on the door opened. The guard looked in the room.

“Time to go,” the guard stated. “Line up. Follow direction to the transport. Line up in the courtyard.”

The prisoners all lined up. Jack tried to stay near the front of the line. He preferred to see where he was going. The prisoners were all directed to the courtyard and told to line up. The transport was backed up next to the line. The back of the transport was opened.

“Go inside. One at a time,” a guard directed them.

Jack spent his time examining the set up. The courtyard walls were at least twenty feet tall. The gate was closed and made of metal. All around the prisoners were guards with the stun guns Jack had seen in the forest. The ratio was two guard to one prisoner. Not good odds.

Jack finally was told to enter the back of the vehicle. The transport. It was laid out just like the cell only smaller. Jack took a seat on the bench and waited. When the last of the prisoners entered, the back door was closed. A subtle light came on. It was too soft to waken them, but bright enough to allow them to find the toilet if needed. How thoughtful!

Jack got up to examine the door interior. He couldn’t find anything on it. No controls on this side of the door. Shit! He sat back down and tried to get comfortable. He wedged himself in a corner and fell into a doze.

SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG

The trip was long. Jack had rested and stretched and rested some more. He was hungry and thirsty by the time the vehicle finally came to a stop. He stood and made sure to start stretching his muscles. He didn’t think he would get a chance to escape yet, but it was easier to dodge if he was limber.

The door finally opened and blinding light poured into the vehicle. Jack blinked to adjust his eyes as quickly as possible. He stood to one side of the door. He could vaguely see the ring of guards around the back of the vehicle. Definitely no escape yet. He could bid his time.

“Come out and line up,” a guard yelled into the vehicle.

Jack took the invitation and carefully stepped out of the back of the vehicle. He moved slowly to make sure no one shot him by accident. He moved to one side to make room for the others. The others in the truck repeated his actions and started to line up behind him. Most of the men were out of the vehicle when a form shot out the back and ran to one side.

“Oh no, Ian,” Tam said softly a few men from Jack.

Sure enough, Jack watched as Ian ran for freedom. But the guards were waiting for just this sort of thing and shot him with a stun gun. Ian dropped to the ground a few feet from the vehicle. After he fell, the guards ignored him.

“Alright, now that we have that cleared up. Welcome to Tràill Slubhail. You will be expected to work after morning meal until evening meal. You can rest after evening meal until morning meal,” the guard announced the rules as he walked up and down in front of the new prisoners. “Any time you resist the guards, you will receive special attention. If you attempt to harm the guards, you will receive special attention. We will not hesitate to kill you. The only reason you are alive is to work.” The guard turned to the other guards, “To the mine.”

Jack had listened to the rules as he scanned the outside area. This part of the mine was not in a compound like he assumed it would be. There were buildings, but no fence. No guards either. One of the buildings looked like barracks. Another was just a roof over boxes of ore. Likely where they stored the mined mineral. There was another building set off to one side. It looked like a crematorium. Jack really didn’t like the look of that building.

The guards gestured to Jack to led the line into the mouth of the mine. Jack could make out the standard rail tracks that brought the ore to the surface. He was taken down along a path next to that track. The track split into three lines, but it was currently rusted one track. That was the track that the guard led Jack down.

Where the tunnels split, the guards had built a recreation room of wood. As Jack passed it, he could see that it was used by the guards for meals and entertainment away from the prisoners. That also meant that the prisoners likely never made it back up this far. Interesting.

The tunnel after the recreation room narrowed and followed a winding path for several hundred meters. Sporadic lighting kept the tunnel from becoming oppressive and hiding any footing hazards. As it was, Jack was glad he still had his boots.

The tunnel finally widened but it was only another several hundred meters further down that the echoes of mining could be heard. Hammers on stone. Jack hated that sound. His hands ached just hearing it.

“Stop here,” the guard leading him told Jack.

Jack complied. What the hell, the lighting was better. This part of the tunnel had the prisoners in it. All the prisoners were chained in place next to the rail track. The bedding for the prisoners was near the track just shy of the center of the tunnel. Each chain bolt held up to four chains for prisoners. But quite of few were empty.

Crap! That means a really high turnover. Not good.

The first grouping had three empty chains. The one surviving prisoner was working and eyeing them while he worked. Jack took note that he didn’t even seem to slow down. Survivor.

“You. Come here,” a second guard told Jack. He walked over to the chains and was shackled in place. “Sit and wait. You. Come here,” the guard told the next in line, Teàrlagh. “Sit and wait. The last set is for your stunned friend.”

The line moved down to the next chain bolt and then the next until all the men were shackled. Then they brought tools for the men to work. Jack didn’t try to get up and grab the hammer until he was told. He figured he would wait as long as he had to before he actually had to start mining… again. God, he hated mining.

“Now work,” the guard said.

Jack slowly stood, “God, I hate mining.” He took the hammer and moved to the wall. He limbered up his back and arms and started to swing the hammer. “I hope you know what we are actually trying to mine. Otherwise, we are just making big rocks into small rocks,” Jack said as he addressed their new partner in the chain gang. “I’m Jack.”

“Teàrlagh,” Teàrlagh introduced himself while swinging his hammer.

“Shaw,” the man said. “We are mining the mineral.”

“Do you know what the mineral looks like?” Jack asked. He was more than familiar with a few raw ores from his various planetary surveys. Most notably naquadah and trinium.

“I do,” Shaw said. He picked up a rock from the ground at his feet. “That is the mineral.”

“Fucking naquadah, figures,” Jack sighed.

“What?” Shaw asked.

“Your mineral is naquadah,” Jack said.

“You have seen this mineral before, Outlander,” Teàrlagh said with wonder as he continued to work his hammer.

“Seen it? Shit! The damn snakeheads fight planetary wars over this shit. It powers their spaceships. Their staff weapons, fighters, you name it. My planet mines it too, but we don’t use fucking hammers,” Jack said as he swung the hammer at the wall.

Shaw continued to work while glancing at Jack, “Are you truly an outlander?”

“Yeah,” Jack said while working. “Met the weird guard first thing. Killed one. Got shot. Here I am.”

“Isn’t it marvelous?” Teàrlagh said while working. “I see that he will be the catalyst to bring change to the clann.”

“By killing?” Shaw said.

“If you want to be free, you have to fight for it,” Jack said. “Live or die. I choose to survive.”

“But you are not free,” Shaw pointed out.

“This is only temporary. I am alive. As long as I am alive, I have hope,” Jack said. “Your Gestapo can’t take that away. Only you can lose your hope.”

“Who is gestapo?” Teàrlagh asked.

“On my planet, we had a government not too unlike yours. Their leader thought he knew it all. Wanted to impose his view of morality on the world. The soldiers who carried out his orders to hunt and kill were a part of his gestapo. His elite were the SS. My world defeated him and his ideals over 75 years ago. But we still feel the scars he left. The lessons he taught my world,” Jack sighed. World War II was a scar on Earth. A slowly healing scar.

“Like the crematorium upstairs. That is most likely where they take the bodies of all the dead from the mines. Finn said that MILLIONS of people have been sent to this mine. The security I saw above does not look like it could keep millions of people contained. That means millions of people have died and been cremated,” Jack said harshly. His hammer blows hit harder to bring out his anger and frustration on the rock.

“Do you know for sure?” Teàrlagh asked.

Jack laughed, “I’m a fucking outlander. I don’t know shit for sure. But I have seen evil before. My planet had dealt with evil before. And those fucking crematoriums were center fucking stage for that evil.”

“He is right,” Shaw whispered. “The guards… they do not care if we live or die. They almost prefer that we die. When we die, they take the bodies away. But I had not heard of anyone from Tràill Slubhail escaping before I came here. Nor had I heard of bodies piling up anywhere.”

“What do we do?” Teàrlagh asked as he continued to hammer at the wall.

“We survive,” Jack said.

“We survive,” Shaw echoed.

“We survive,” Teàrlagh agreed.

SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG

A few hours later, evening meal came by. The prisoners turned in their hammers and waited while they were given food and water for the evening. The food was gruel again. Ian was brought to their chain bolt and secured even though he was still stunned. The guards told them that they expected them to tell him the rules and he would receive special attention tomorrow night. Shaw shuddered.

Once they left Jack turned to Shaw, “What does that mean, special attention?”

“It means he will be èignich tomorrow evening,” Shaw said.

“Èignich?” Jack asked looking at Teàrlagh. He was usually good at explaining the words Jack didn’t understand.

“I… I thought that only women were èignich…” Teàrlagh whispered.

“There are no women here. We are not allowed to fight. They choose a different man every night for special attention. I choose to survive,” Shaw said in a whisper.

Shit! Did that mean what I think it means? Rape? Fuck!

All too soon, the guards were back cleaning up the dishes from the meal. Then they brought out a table and placed it on the other side of the rail tracks across from their chain bolt. Jack looked over at Shaw and saw the wide eyes and fear take over the man. He seemed to whisper over and over to himself. “I will survive.”

The guards arrived in force. Several had stun guns. One guard came up to their group.

“Since he is still stunned, you will have to do. Come on,” the guard pointed at Teàrlagh.

Teàrlagh swallowed and stood up to follow the guard to the table. Once there the guards grabbed his arms to hold him while another pulled his pants down to his ankles. Then the guard locked his shackles to the leg of the table. The guards holding his arms slammed his chest down on the table. They yanked his arms above his head and attached them to the cuffs already attached to the table. Then they stood away. Teàrlagh struggled but was effectively held in place.

The guards laughed. The ones with the stun guns put them away further down the tunnel. The first guard opened his pants and started to stroke his cock until he was hard. Then he started using his fingers to open up Teàrlagh’s ass. When the guard had stretched him three fingers he pushed in his cock and started to fuck his ass.

Teàrlagh cried in pain and grunted as the guard violated his ass. After the guard had found his release, the next guard pushed himself into the already stretched and lubricated ass and sought his own pleasure. Tears fell from his face as he tried to withstand the assault. One after the other the guards took their turn.

When they were finally finished, the last guard unlocked the shackle and uncuffed Teàrlagh. “Clean up. You have work tomorrow.”

Teàrlagh nodded and stood up as the guard left. He left the table. Jack was up and by Teàrlagh’s side before the man fell over.

“I got you,” Jack said. Carefully holding only his shoulders. “Can you make it to the other side?”

“I don’t know,” Teàrlagh cried as he realized his pants were still around his ankles. He tried to reach for them and started to topple over. He started to sob.

“Can I help you with them?” Jack asked.

“Yes,” Teàrlagh whimpered.

Jack held one hand on Teàrlagh’s chest as he reached down and pulled up his pants. Teàrlagh took over when the pants were mid-thigh. Then he clung to Jack as they walked back to the bedding. Once there, Shaw had water and cloths ready for Teàrlagh.

Jack got Teàrlagh to lay down on his bedding and asked him what he wanted them to do. Specifically, if he wanted them to clean him up or he wanted to try it himself. Teàrlagh wanted to try himself. He attempted several times before Jack told him to rest.

Then Jack told him about the time he had experience the same thing. He survived. He knew Teàrlagh would survive as well. Would Teàrlagh trust him to help him on this one thing? Teàrlagh relented. Jack was quick and gentle as he cleaned him up. He made sure Teàrlagh’s pants were tightly belted back on and told him he would be sore for several days.

Teàrlagh cried himself to sleep.

“He survived the first night. His chances are good,” Shaw said.

“Yeah, I know. The damage wasn’t too bad. At least they aren’t drugging him too,” Jack said. Recalling his own incident.

“You truly have suffered this before?” Shaw asked sadly.

“Unfortunately, yes. I was wounded and left for dead by my team. I was captured and put in a prison. The wound healed, but hey kept giving me the drugs to keep me drugged and out of it. Beatings, rapes. I was later told that I was rescued after four months. Mostly I remember pain and shame and being left behind,” Jack told Shaw.

“Tuig,” Shaw said.

Jack smiled at Shaw, “But no drugs this time. No beatings. Only an inescapable prison. Easy peasy.”

“You have a strange sense of what is easy, Jack,” Shaw said with a sigh.

“Let’s get some sleep. We have work tomorrow,” Jack said, as his mind was already trying to formulate a plan for tonight’s scouting mission.

Jack still had his lock picks in his belt and a spare set in his boots. Too many off-world prisons used these old-style locks. And they usually let him keep either his belt or his boots. This world was kind enough to let him keep both.

Jack already knew the layout of the entrance to the mine. Tonight he would scout the lower end of the shaft. He waited until everyone had drifted off to sleep, then he picked his shackles and scouted out the mine shaft.

SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG


	4. Prison Break

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack modifies his escape plan when the guards piss him off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a short one.

Jack was roused by the activity of the other prisoners. They completed their morning constitutionals and were fed their morning meal. Jack made sure to drink extra water. When they were all finished, they made sure to make Ian sit and wait for his hammer for work.

Tools in hand they started to work. They quickly told Ian what the rules of the mine were. They showed him a sample of the ore they were mining. Their small pile of ore was still small by the end of the day. The small group all ate, drank, and washed up after dinner. They all knew that Ian was going to be the focus of tonight’s special treatment.

Like clockwork, the guards showed up and ordered Ian to the table. They trussed him up and began to rape him. Unlike the night before, they were far more brutal. Not only did they rape his ass, they beat his back and sides while one of them shoved his cock in Ian’s mouth. Ian had passed out from lack of air twice and had to be slapped back awake by the guards. The third time, Ian didn’t wake up. The guards didn’t seem to care. They continued raping his ass until all of them were done. Then they threw Ian on the ground and told the chain group to clean him up. If he lived, he worked tomorrow.

Jack and Shaw carried Ian back to his bedding and tended to his wounds. They made him comfortable on his bedding and hoped he lived the night.

Jack was seething when he went on his scouting trip that night. He tracked down both of the other tunnels to see if there was anything of note down them. There was nothing. He still had scouting time. He decided to check out the entrance to the mine again.

Jack crept past the recreation room and noticed that just like last night, there was only one guard on duty. He made note of it and moved past the room to the outside. None of the guards were patrolling the buildings. The overhang area was exactly what he first thought, a storage area for naquadah. The little building was a crematorium. Out behind the crematorium was the true horror. A huge pile of sodden ash and bone chips.

Bodies. A mound of cremated bodies. Holy fucking hell.

Jack examined the last building. It was a barracks building. It was all one level. The main floor was mostly open with one room closed. By looking in the windows, the guards slept in the main room. The closed room was an office and communication room. No bed. The building had two doors.

Jack’s findings at the crematorium had finalize his plans for this hell hole. He could just escape. But this kind of evil needed to be ended. There is no way he could just walk out of here and allow those men to continue suffering. He had to help. He was even sure he could do it without endangering himself or committing to help this planet. Well, Teàrlagh did say he was a catalyst. Tomorrow night it was time to start this fire.

Jack returned to his chain group and reattached his shackles. He would need his rest for tomorrow.

SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG

Ian died in the night. The guards took him away before they handed out breakfast. No one in their chain group made any comments.

The next day passed like the previous day. The guards were alert during the day, but Jack wasn’t about to try anything while they were awake. He didn’t mine with all of his heart. But he was saving his energy.

That night, the guards took the table to the second chain group. Another man suffered horrible rapes and being gagged unconscious. But he wasn’t beaten as badly as Ian had been. The guards parted with the same words to that chain gang as they had Ian’s, “If he lives, he works tomorrow.”

When the last of the guards had left, Jack went to work. He quickly picked his shackles and departed down the tunnel.

“Jack? What are you doing? The guards…” Shaw asked.

“Are lazy and stuck in a routine,” Jack said as he gave them hammers. He then disappeared for more and handed them to the next chain group and the next. When everyone was armed, Jack went to work on the shackles.

Jack started at the lowest level chain bolt and worked his way up. He only asked that they all wait at the first chain bolt so they could attack in force. When Jack finally reached his own chain bolt, he freed Teàrlagh and Shaw.

Jack turned to the assembled group. “To those who do not know me, I am Jack. I am an outlander. These people have PISSED me off. I refuse to leave without freeing the rest of you. BUT you will have to fight for your own freedom. This is YOUR planet. TAKE IT BACK. I will help you get out of here, but the rest is up to you. Your government sent you here to DIE. You have to CHOOSE to LIVE. I choose to live. I choose to survive.”

“I choose to survive,” Shaw echoed quietly. “I have seen too many groups of new men brought into this place. It must end. I choose to survive.”

“I choose to survive,” Teàrlagh said quietly. “I will kill them if I have to… to survive.”

“I choose to survive. The Slaugh-lùl sent me here to keep me quiet. I WILL NOT BE QUIET,” Fionlagh said forcefully.

More people echoed the sentiment. Jack nodded. “I spent the last two night scouting the area. There is only one guard in the room at the mouth of the tunnel. I can take him out silently. The rest of you will have to take out the guards in the barracks where they sleep. I would recommend that each of you silently enter the barracks one per bed. Then at a signal you all swing your hammers at the guard’s sleeping head. Any that survive, you attack in mass. Ready?”

Several nods followed. Jack was the only man without a hammer. As the group of former prisoners made their way up the tunnel, Jack pulled off his belt. He removed the garrot he had embedded in the material. He double checked the loop supports and then stuffed the belt into his cargo pocket. He would need it to store his garrot back in it after he was done.

Once the group was about ten meters from the recreation room, Jack stopped the large group and moved forward by himself. He noticed that a few people followed him. They were not silent, but they were quieter than the whole group.

As Jack peeked into the recreation room, he noticed the solitary guard half dozing as he watched some program on the screen. Jack placed the garrot to loop in an X. He crept up behind the guard.

“Nazi,” Jack whispered to the guard, just at the garrot slipped past his eyes and over his throat.

The man startled. Jack smiled and yanked both hands apart strangling the man with the filament wire. The wire quickly dug into the skin and throat, slicing the first few centimeters. He fell dead far sooner than it would take to strangle a man, thanks to cutting the nerves to his heart and lungs at the front of his throat. That was one of the reasons Jack liked this garrot. It was fast and deadly. No room for mistakes.

Jack turned to his watchers, “One down. The rest to go…”

The other men followed Jack out of the room. He waved to the remaining men to join them. The whole group of ex-prisoners marched towards the mouth of the mine. Once at the entrance, Jack pointed out the buildings.

“That is the barracks. That is where all the guards are located. It has two doors,” Jack pointed over to the side. “That is the crematorium. There is a hill of ash and bone dust behind it. That is where your millions of missing citizens are. Clan you call them? Over there is where they keep the ore you have dug up. As you can see, there is no fence,” Jack said to them.

“We will have to take care of the guards first,” Fionlagh said. “Two groups, front and back. I need someone to call a signal.”

“I’ll do it,” Tam said. “I’ll call seo when to strike.”

The group quickly split into two and headed for the barracks. Jack stayed outside enjoying the fresh air and the stars. He was sitting and watching the stars when he noticed a man approaching.

“Hello,” Jack said casually.

“Good eve,” the man said. “I am Alistair. I have been inside… a long time.”

“I’m Jack. What are you going to do now?” Jack asked.

“I don’t know. But I think you are right… We will have to fight for our freedom. We have to choose to live,” Alistair said.

“It is a harder choice than you realize,” Jack said. “But I am glad you are willing to try it.”

“I think I have always chosen to live. I just didn’t realize that is what I was doing,” Alistair said.

“I get it. You were sent here to die. It is easy to just want to die. It is hard to choose to live in a place like this,” Jack said.

“Yes, but now I might get to see my wife again. That thought bring joy to my heart,” Alistair said.

“I’m glad. Fight for her too. Who knows, maybe she has been fighting for you this whole time too,” Jack said.

“I can only hope,” Alistair said. “What of you?”

“Now, I try to get home. It’s a process. First rest, second city, third forest… process,” Jack said with grin.

“When you say it like that, it sounds simple,” Alistair said. “Just go home.”

“Alistair, it is simple. You have the same goal. Don’t try to do more than you can RIGHT NOW. The best way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time,” Jack said.

“What is an elephant?” Alistair asked.

“Huge animal on my planet. Size of a large transport vehicle,” Jack said with a sigh of exasperation.

“Your people eat these large animals?” Alistair asked alarmed.

“No, actually they don’t. But the point is to take a huge task and break it into bite size pieces. You can accomplish the huge task by completing the smaller ones,” Jack said. Explaining things to aliens was tiring. “I need some rest. I’m going to get my bedding and sleep under the stars.”

SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG


	5. Finding The Way Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sam is trying to find Jack. Jack is trying to find his way home.

Jack slept well and rose up after the sun. He ate the rations the guards had on hand. He found a bag to use as a pack in spite of it’s size. He loaded it with extra bedding, water, and whatever food rations he could salvage. He took two stunners and a knife, and hiked out of mine building complex.

There was only one road. It was obviously the only road to the mine. It had to lead back to civilization on this planet. Since his prison companions had already told him that no one had ever escaped, that civilization would have no idea that he had escaped from said prison.

However, considering how long the ride here had been, Jack could expect the hike back to be horribly long.

Jack set out at a good pace. He stopped to rest as often as he needed. He took time to eat and drink water. He kept an ear out for other water sources as well.

Jack was glad to note that the guards were fairly lazy. They had taken the time to make their path to the mine as easy for the hover vehicles as possible. Areas of rocky ground were left alone, mostly. The larger rocks were cleared out of the path the vehicle would make. To Jack’s trained eye, made it very obvious. The fields were avoided due to bogging. Areas where they could not be avoided were paved.

To Jack, it was like the guards had made an arrow for him to follow back to civilization. Teal’c had been training him for years on how to follow the more subtle tracking signs. These were not subtle in the slightest. For all their advanced technology in having hover vehicles, they seemed to fail to appreciate how to properly use them to avoid detection.

SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG

In the late afternoon, Jack was following the path along a winding canyon. The steep walls of the canyon had been cut by the stream running next to the path. But the stream had wandered and left a large raised area. That area had been used by the guards to build and enforce their road.

A new sound echoed down the canyon. It was definitely mechanical. It sounded like another vehicle coming in the direction that Jack was headed.

Jack took a moment to survey his surroundings and he found a good hiding place next to the canyon wall. It was behind some bushes and would completely conceal him and his bag.

Jack could also watch the vehicle to see what it was. He may not be defending this planet, but he could be concerned for the men he had left at the prison. He could only hope that the guards had not gotten an alert out to the city. Today was only one day after the prison break. It would be a horrible coincidence if the guards were to be relieved today.

The vehicle streaked by much faster than Jack thought. It was one of the smaller model vehicles. Not like the big transport vehicle model that had brought Jack up to the mine. It could only hold maybe four people. The windows were mirrored. It didn’t even hesitate near his position. Jack was sure it had not seen him.

Jack waited until the sound of it no longer echoed down the canyon before he crept out of his hiding place. He took a long drink and then refilled his water. Then he started hiking down the path again.

SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG

Sam sat with Boyd in the transport as they approached Tràill Slubhail. During the daytime, the mine would be in operation. The Weard would be mostly underground unless they had been radioed to expect a shipment of prisoners. Sam was nervous.

_Relax. You have a good plan,_ the symbiote said.

_I know. But I still worry about him. He hates mines. Hell, I hate mines,_ Sam told the symbiote. Sam had found that she actually liked talking to the symbiote. She refused to call her Sam in her head. It was too weird.

“Something is wrong,” Boyd said suddenly.

Sam suddenly paid attention to the buildings in the distance. She could make out men walking around. Lots of men walking around. More men than they had been told had been assigned to guard the mine. Wait…

“Boyd, drive into the buildings slowly. Let’s go introduce ourselves,” Sam told him.

“But the Weard…” Boyd said.

“They are not wearing Weard uniforms,” Sam pointed out. “I think they are prisoners. Escaped prisoners at that,” she said with a smile. _It figures Jack wouldn’t need my help,_ Sam told the symbiote.

“Alright,” Boyd said cautiously. He drove slowly into the center of the buildings.

The vehicle was immediately surrounded by men. This close they could see that none of the men wore Weard uniforms. In fact, they had a variety of civilian clothing. Most of it worse for wear.

“Leave your weapons,” Sam told Boyd. He nodded.

Boyd and Sam slowly opened their doors and stepped out of the vehicle. The men did not lower their weapons, but they did not fire them either. Sam considered that progress.

“Hello, we came to help. I am Sam. This is Boyd…” Sam started.

“You are a woman,” a man stated to one side. He seemed to be in awe of her presence.

“Yes, I am,” Sam replied.

“She wears the same clothing as Jack,” another man said, pointing to her t-shirt, BDU pants, and boots.

“Yes, I am looking for Jack. Is he here?” Sam asked.

“Are you an outlander as well?” a third man asked.

Sam sighed, “Yes, I am.” Sam replied.

“Shaw! By hand of Brigid herself! Brother!” Boyd exclaimed in joy.

The second man whipped around to stare at Boyd, “Boyd? Is that really you, Brother?”

Boyd was beaming now, “It is. I had not hoped to find you still alive.”

“I chose to survive,” Shaw told his brother.

“We chose to survive,” the rest of the men echoed, like a mantra.

Shaw came forward and clasped his brother’s arm before grabbing him in a hug. Tears freely fell from both men’s eyes.

“I am so glad to have volunteered to have come. Sam needed a driver. I wanted… I am not sure what I wanted. But I am glad to have you returned to me,” Boyd said gladly.

The third man came forward, “I am Teàrlagh,” the man introduced himself. “You came with Jack from the Outlands? His team?”

Sam turned her attention to Teàrlagh. “Yes. Where is he? I came to take him home.”

Teàrlagh laughed, “You missed him. He left this morning.” He turned wary eyes on her, “He could have left at any time. He had the means and the skill. But he chose to free us all first. He stayed two extra days and risked much to ensure that he could free us all. He… He told me that I had to choose to survive. I had to choose to live. That dying was easy, living was hard.”

“He is a good man. I met him about a year after he made the decision to live. Since then, he takes people who steal freedom from others personally. It has become his new purpose. To help people to choose to live,” Sam said with a smile. “He convinced another of our teammates to betray everything he had been taught his whole life, because that man knew it was wrong. Teal’c started a revolution. He is freeing his people from slavery. All because he took a chance at living. He choose to live. He choose to be free.”

Teàrlagh nodded, “He did not tell me that. He did mention Teal’c though and Daniel and Carter. He worries for them.”

“We worry for him too,” Sam said. “I’m Carter. Major Samantha Carter. I go by Sam.”

“He worried the most for you then,” Teàrlagh said. “He said you had not gotten to safety when he was stunned, but the other two had.”

“Yes,” Sam replied. “I sent them to radio back our status while I went after the Colonel. Jack. I have not heard from them since. Out of range,” Sam replied.

Most of the men in the crowd had dispersed. A few had hung back. Twilight had fallen and another man stepped forward.

“Lass, will you and Boyd come join us. We have not had news from back in Moray in some time. I am Alistair,” the man introduced himself.

“Alistair? Are you married to Ehl?” Sam asked.

“I am. Have you heard from her?” Alistair asked eagerly.

“I have. She helped me my first day in Moray. She told me about the curfew and gave me clothing to disguise my Outlandish clothes as I traveled the city. She misses you. She is helping others as much as possible in your name,” Sam told him. “Please, call me Sam.”

The man sobbed in relief to hear news of his wife. “Thank you, Sam,” Alistair cried. He took himself off to one side after pointing out where the others were gathering.

Sam and Boyd spent that evening passing on news of various events that had been going on in Moray. Occasionally, the symbiote would pass on information to Sam and Sam would relay that information as knowledge to the others. Boyd was the only one who was not surprised by the fact that the outlander knew so much about their society.

By the end of the evening, it was decided that a representative would return to Moray with Sam and Boyd to talk to Artair on behalf of the prisoners.

Sam had cautioned the prisoners to be wary of additional prisoner transports. They could take them out, after the Weard were out of the truck. She also demonstrated how to remove the trackers from the stunners. Then she left them to planning.

SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG

The next morning, Sam, Boyd, and Shaw were all loaded into the vehicle and headed back to Moray. Sam calculated how many klicks Jack would be able to make in a single day. Then she had Boyd slow the vehicle to a crawl.

Sam opened the window and sat on it and started to call out to Jack as the vehicle inched forward.

“Colonel Jack O’Neill… Colonel Jack O’Neill…” Sam called out for what seemed like hours. She kept a water bottle in one hand to keep her throat wet. “Colonel Jack O’Neill…”

Two hours after her calculated hiking point, Sam watched his figure stumble out of the bushes on the side of the road. It was obvious that he had heard them and taken cover until he could determine if they were friendly or not. That was one of the reasons why Sam had decided to hang out the window. She was definitely friendly.

Boyd sped up the vehicle until it pulled up to Jack. Sam immediately jumped out and ran up to him. His face was in sort of a shocked awe. It was so adorable it was cute.

Sam grabbed his shoulder and his neck and kissed him. It was meant to be chaste. It didn’t stay that way for long. His lips parted and Sam responded with the kind of deep longing that had driven her to hunt him down in the first place. She devoured him. His arms wrapped around her. Their tongues battled for dominance. They only parted for air.

Sam leaned her forehead against his, “Jack,” she whispered, just for him.

“Sam,” Jack replied.

Sam looked and she could see his eyes were still closed. But he was thinking. She had to stop that. It led to locked rooms and pain. She whirled grabbed his wrist in one hand and dropped long enough to grab his bag in the other before she drug him back to the vehicle.

Sam let go of his wrist long enough to open the back door and toss in his bag. Then she started to shove him inside and closed the door behind him. She took a deep breath and then climbed into the front seat of the vehicle and raised the window.

“Alright, Boyd. Take back to Artair’s compound,” Sam directed Boyd.

“Carter?” Jack asked her.

Sam smiled. She knew what he was asking without words.

_You two almost have a telepathic connection,_ the symbiote pointed out.

_Yes. That’s why I know how he will react to your presence,_ Sam told the symbiote. _I want to avoid that for as long as possible._

“Boyd is the diver. You know Shaw,” Sam said to the back seat. “Artair has been helping me find you. You need a shower and rest before the last leg through the forest.”

“Oh hey, Shaw. Didn’t see you there,” Jack said casually. “And his place is safe?” Jack asked.

“As safe as any place in Moray,” Sam replied. “He has been coordinating the rebellion. Shaw escaping from Tràill Slubhail will be a big boon on that front. Exposing the horrors of that place.”

“Yeah, I can’t see the gestapo liking that,” Jack said.

“Is that what you have been calling the Weard?” Sam asked.

“I found a crematorium at that mine, Carter… MILLIONS…” Jack said pointedly.

“They will need to document it. Not for the government, but for themselves. They don’t have any media. No papers. No cell phones. It is all word of mouth,” Sam told him.

“Their government likely took over that. The gestapo had TV at the mine,” Jack said.

Sam looked over to Boyd. “Tell Artair that the disinformation the government is sending out is as harmful as their actions. He needs to combat it with the truth. He needs pictures and stories. I think that was why Alistair was taken. He was in media. Use him,” Sam said.

“Carter…” Jack said. “This is not our planet. We can’t get involved.”

Sam sighed, “I know. At least, not more than I already have.” Then she grinned, “Or you have, for that matter.”

“What did I do?” Jack asked.

“Escaped another inescapable prison,” Sam replied.

“And you?” Jack asked. Sam could hear the grin.

“I MAY have helped start another revolution… I really didn’t like the way the Weard were treating women,” Sam said with a snort.

“The women are not cultural slaves are they?” Jack asked with humor.

“No… just pawed and groped by the creepiest Weard under the worst excuse. If a man tries to stop it, he is arrested for interfering in a government interrogation,” Sam said with anger.

“I know I wouldn’t stand for that. How many did you beat up?” Jack asked.

“I just killed the one. But it sort of… set a president…” Sam said hesitantly.

“Really? You didn’t even kill Turgan. What did you do?” Jack asked curious.

“Okay, it all started with the bean-sìthe. Ehl told me that they don’t send the women to the mine. But to get the women to obey the curfew they started accosting them after dark. Raping them. If the women accused the Weard, they were called bean-sìthe. When Ehl said it, it sounded like banshee. The wailing woman. According to Ehl, the Weard claim that the women were raped by bandits. They just wanted attention so they are making noise.

“I decided to use that to my advantage. After witnessing one molestation in broad daylight too many, I set up an ambush. I killed the Weard. I cut off his balls,” Sam said with a grim smile.

“Ouch,” Jack whispered from the back seat.

“Then I stole his stunner, and set his radio to wail non-stop. Oh, I figured out how to remove the trackers from the stunners,” Sam said as an afterthought.

“The stunners have trackers?” Jack asked alarmed. He scrambled for his two stunners and passed them forward to Sam. “Disable them, please?”

Sam smiled, “Sure. I showed the rest of the guys at the prison before we came after you.” Sam quickly pulled out the beacons and stuck them together. She lowered the window, then the tossed them out. She handed the stunners back to Jack.

“Thanks, Carter,” Jack said with relief. “So how is this a president?”

“Well, I showed Catrina, the woman I was staying with, how to disable the trackers. She asked how I got the stunner. She passed on the story to the rest of the rebel network. They apparently liked the idea and ran with it. Dead Weard have been turning up all over Moray with the same MO,” Sam said with a sigh.

“Well, Banshee’s do wail for the dead. Of course, that is more Irish than Gaelic,” Jack pointed out.

“The Irish were once Gael too,” Sam said with a smile.

“And just what were the Carters, my bonnie lass,” Jack said with his most outrageous Irish baroque.

“English. Norman French, English,” Sam replied.

“Oh, an occupier are you,” Jack continued with his Irish baroque.

“Yes, not even high class. Hence to move to America where we mingled with the rabble,” Sam said with a grin. “Mom was an American mutt. That makes me half-mutt, half-occupier.

“Bah, your family betrayed the occupiers when they took sides with the Americans. You are well and truly a half-mutt, half-rebel. A rebel mutt if you will,” Jack finished.

“I like that. Rebel mutt. What about you? How long has your family been in America?” Sam asked.

“Turn of the century. Grandparents and their kin moved in mass to the Chicago area. As all Irish Catholics do, they bred like rabbits. Parents stuck to the Irish Catholic line. Making me the pure-blooded Irishman you see today,” Jack finished.

“Just displaced, geographically,” Sam said with a smile.

“Of course,” Jack replied with his own grin.

The conversation lulled into an easy silence as the vehicle buzzed over the terrain. Sam’s mind wandered. She had never known that about his family. She had assumed he was of Irish descent because of the name. But she had never asked him. She had never had the courage to ask. Now she never would have the ability to ask.

_You wish you could know more about him,_ the symbiote said.

_Yes. And you need a better name,_ Sam replied, changing the subject.

_I have always used the name of my current host. You do not want to call me Sam?_ the symbiote asked.

_No. It is too weird. I already talk to myself. You are kind of like my shadow. How about I call you Shade?_ Sam asked.

_It has no bad connotations like shadow. I like it. You may call me Shade,_ the symbiote said. _You will have time to get to know him more on your planet. We are going there next, correct? We can leave before there is danger?_ Shade asked.

_No. I’ll send him home. But we can’t go home,_ Sam said.

_You do not think I will be safe at all?_ Shade asked.

_I know you will not be safe. My people know how to detect a goa’uld coming thorough the Stargate. You would be found immediately. I cannot risk that,_ Sam said firmly. _You should know that from my memories._

_I do not read your memories. I have barely connected to your mind. I can only read your present thoughts… or when you scream your emotions at me,_ Shade said with amusement.

_So, you have to send me images for me to see them?_ Sam asked.

_Yes. Just as I cannot read your mind. You cannot read mine. It is better for us both that way. Saner,_ Shade said.

_Amen to that,_ Sam replied. _Jolinar was not that considerate. I still have her nightmares._

_You were host to this Jolinar?_ Shade asked.

_Yes. Jolinar was desperate to escape an Ashrak send to kill her. She hid in me. She was found by my team. The Ashrak found her in me. It killed her, but I survived thanks to her,_ Sam sighed. _That was how my people found out about the Tok’ra. My father is a Tok’ra host._

_I am glad I have not had any Ashrak sent after me,_ Shade said.

_Did Ra want you dead?_ Sam asked.

_No. He wanted me under his control, not dead,_ Shade replied.

_Then he would not have sent an Ashrak. They are good hunters, but they kill what they hunt,_ Sam said. _It probably helps that you don’t use your real name. Nothing to track but a faint naquadah trail._

They lapsed into silence before Shade ventured an inquiry. _Sam, if we cannot return to your world, do you have a place for us to go?_

Sam sighed, _No. But Jack will try to follow us. So will Daniel and Teal’c. My people will try to look for me. It cannot be a place I am familiar with. But I would like to be able to leave a message for my father._

_He will follow you like you followed him. I think he cares as much for you as you do for him,_ Shade said.

_Yes. I think you are right. But it doesn’t matter,_ Sam sighed again. _There is always something in the way. Something to stop us from being together._

_I see,_ Shade replied.

Sam lapsed back into silence as she watched the scenery fly by the window. This time she didn’t let her mind fall onto any one subject. She just let it feel like she was about to lose her whole world and she had one day left to appreciate it.

SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG


	6. Can’t Go Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sam decides to tell Jack that she can't go back to Earth.

The small vehicle containing the four travelers arrived at the compound a few hours later. Boyd opened the gate to the inner courtyard and drove the vehicle inside. Once inside they exited the vehicle and stretched after their long trip in the small vehicle.

The sun was just starting to set. Sam was glad that they had made it back to the compound before darkness. They had been so close to the compound that Boyd had thought he could make it back before full sunset. He had made it.

“Is it just me, or was that trip much faster than the last time?” Jack asked as he stretched.

“It was faster,” Boyd said. “The usual transport takes a day and a half to make that same route.” Then he gave a grin, “I may have pushed the transport to its limits to get here before sunset.”

“Well, you have my thanks, Boyd,” Sam said gratefully.

“And mine,” Shaw echoed as he stared at everything in wonder.

“Come inside. Let us tell Artair the good news of Tràill Slubhail,” Boyd said ushering them inside the building.

Jack walked next to Sam with his bag slung over his shoulder. Sam hadn’t bothered to put her weapons belt back on. She just slung it over her shoulder. She did have her zat in her hand, just in case things had changed in the two days since she left.

“Boyd, Sam, you are back so soon. I had not expected you to return for several days,” Artair’s voice reached her as she entered the common room. “And you have freed your man, as well.”

“Your man?” Jack asked, quietly with a smirk.

“Actually,” Sam started over Jack, “He freed himself and the rest of the prison before I arrived. This is Shaw. He is here to talk to you about the rest of the prisoners still at Tràill Slubhail. They need transport and such. Jack and I need rest before we are transported through the city. I don’t want to risk walking again. Tomorrow is soon enough. Thank you for all of your help, Artair,” Sam said.

“Sam, you have helped me more than you can know. I am more than glad to provide additional transport tomorrow. I will have food left here in the common room. You know where the cleaning room is located. Will you use the same bedroom?” Artair asked.

“I will. Are my things still there?” Sam asked.

“They are,” Artair replied.

“Good. We will leave you to Shaw and Boyd,” Sam said as she grabbed Jack’s arm and dragged him out of the room.

“He seemed nice,” Jack said once they were out of ear shot.

“He is. He is also the local rebel leader. I am trying REALLY hard not to get involved,” Sam said urgently.

“Ah, the local situation is that bad?” Jack asked.

“Not that. Just the government is that bad. It’s hard for me not to want to punch someone wearing a Weard uniform on principle,” Sam sighed.

“After that crematorium, I TOTALLY get it,” Jack said. “I had to limit myself to just killing one guy. Forced myself.”

Sam took a few deep breaths then straightened out. She walked over to a door. “Bathroom with shower,” she said as she pointed. Then she walked to another door, “Bedroom. I suggest we stay in the same room. I sort of trust these guys. But…”

“But you wouldn’t risk your life on it. Got it,” Jack followed her to the bedroom and dropped his bag. He tucked a stunner in his cargo pocket.

Sam smiled and handed him her ditty bag of toiletries, “Use what you need. I know yours are gone.”

“Thanks,” Jack replied as he took the bag and headed to the bathroom.

SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG

The next morning, Artair’s transport to the edge of the city was the same small vehicle transport they had used the day before. Boyd transported them to the edge of the city.

When they got close to the edge, Sam had Boyd turn down a street and finally stop at a house. She took out her gear in its disguise basket. Jack grabbed his bag. Sam asked Boyd to come with them. Then she went up to the home and knocked on the door.

A few moments later the door opened, “Hello?” Ehl greeted blinking into the daylight.

“It’s me, Sam, Ehl,” Sam greeted the woman.

“Sam? Blessed day! Come in…” Ehl greeted.

Sam followed Ehl into the living room with her basket. Jack followed her with Boyd, both slightly confused.

“Ehl, I wanted to tell you first. I saw Alistair. He is alive,” Sam said after taking the woman’s hands.

“My Alistair? But he was taken so long ago,” Ehl said quietly. Tear were flowing down her eyes.

“It’s true, Ma’am,” Jack supplied. “I met him too. He stayed alive just for you.”

“How… How is this possible?” Ehl asked. “None return from the Tràill Slubhail.”

“I made it true,” Jack said. “I don’t belong there. None of them do. I helped them free themselves from the guards.”

“The Weard that guard them,” Sam supplied. “Remember my quest? I went to the Holding Area to get Jack, but I was too late. I went to Tràill Slubhail, but he had already freed them. Our vehicle was too small,” Sam said.

Boyd picked up the story, “My employer, Artair, is sending several transports back to retrieve the rest of the former prisoners. I too saw your husband. He is alive. You were his hope in that place.”

Sam nodded, “Boyd, you may want to talk to Ehl about why the government saw her husband as a threat to them. Ehl, thank you for this basket. You may have it back now. It was beyond helpful.”

Sam then took everything out of the basket, including the dress and bag that Ehl hand gifted her. She returned the items she borrowed to Ehl and repacked everything else in her pack. She redressed in her BDU shirt, vest, then strapped on her pack and rearmed with her P-90.

“Now, I feel dressed,” Sam said with relief.

“I don’t know. I was kind of digging the t-shirt look,” Jack said.

Sam gave him a long, considering look, “You just liked looking at my boobs.”

Jack had a moment of openmouthed shock before he regained his grin, “Maybe I did.”

They waved goodbye to Ehl and Boyd and crept out of the house towards the tree line. Sam kept them both in the shadows enough not to worry about being seen. Soon they were deep into the forest and back on the original trail that SG-1 had been taking towards the city.

They both kept silent and alert as they made their way to their original rally point. The way up was still clear and free of Weard. Sam picked her way up first. She covered Jack as he picked his way up. They both breathed a sigh of relief once they reached the top.

SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG

They were about half-way back to the Stargate when Sam realized that she had to tell Jack before they reached the Stargate. She needed time to talk him out of chasing her down.

_Do you think that will work?_ Shade asked.

_I don’t know,_ Sam replied. _But he will definitely chase if I don’t talk to him._

_I will try to help,_ Shade said.

_Thanks,_ Sam replied. “Jack, I can’t go back,” Sam said out loud.

“Why not? I was the one captured, not you,” Jack said as they walked along.

Sam sighed, “I made a promise to protect someone in exchange for information to help you.”

“So, bring them along. I’m sure they will be much safer on Earth than here anyway. This planet is about to explode,” Jack said.

“I can’t take them to Earth. They would be in danger there,” Sam replied.

“Who is it?” Jack asked.

“I can’t say,” Sam said.

“Can’t or won’t?” Jack replied.

“A bit of both actually,” Sam said. “I made a promise. I won’t go back on that promise. You are safe now. It’s my turn to fulfill my end of the bargain.”

“Shit!” Jack swore and he turned to look at Sam as she kept walking. “This promise for intel… It was to get me out safe?”

“Yes. They give me intel to get you out safe or at least find out what happened to you. All I had to do was keep them safe,” Sam said staring him in the eye. “I won’t betray my promise.”

“Fine,” Jack said. “Will you betray your promise if I go with you?”

“What?” Sam asked whirling on him this time.

“Would betray your promise by having me along? I can help you keep this person safe,” Jack said as he kept walking.

_Does it?_ Sam asked Shade.

_No,_ Shade replied. _But you will have to tell him about me eventually. You were worried about his reaction._

_I still am,_ Sam said morosely.

“Well?” Jack asked impatiently.

“I’m thinking,” Sam snapped back at him.

_We are almost to the Chappa’ai,_ Shade said.

“I won’t leave you, Carter,” Jack said. “If you ditch me, I will follow you.”

“Fine,” Sam said to him. “Give me a moment to think of how to do this.”

“Okay,” Jack replied. His mood had changed. He seemed much happier now.

_Shade, can you make my eyes flash and my voice reverberate?_ Sam asked her.

_Yes,_ Shade said. _Do you need to take control as well?_

_No, I just want the SGC to think I have been taken over by one of the bad goa’uld. I think I can leave a message for my Dad as well,_ Sam replied. _Sorry to say this, Shade but you just aren’t bad enough to fake it._

Shade chuckled in her mind. _I won’t take offense. Tell me when you want the eye flash and the voice,_ Shade replied.

_I will, thanks, Shade,_ Sam replied.

Jack and Sam crested the little hill surrounding the Stargate. They found a MALP still present. Interesting. Daniel and Teal’c may still be present on the planet.

“Okay, Colonel, I have a plan, but you have to trust me,” Sam said. “The MALP being here is good. They will get the summary of why this planet should be off limits and that both of us are no longer on it. We are leaving this planet as soon as we report. I don’t know if Daniel and Teal’c are still here though.”

“With the MALP here, it could be they left it here for you or they are still here,” Jack said. “Toss up.”

“Alright, do you trust me?” Sam asked him looking him in the eye.

“With my life,” Jack replied sincerely.

Sam nodded, “I need you to get down on your knees facing the MALP camera. Pretend your hands are tied behind your back. Do not look back and do not act surprised. You can decide to either act defiant or defeated. I’ll leave it up to you.”

Jack gave her an odd quirk of eyebrow before getting into place. “Ready,” Jack called out.

“Dialing,” Sam said. She dialed Earth and pulled out her radio. _Time for the voice. Keep it going until the wormhole is gone,_ Sam told Shade.

The wormhole splashed to life. Sam clicked her radio. In her dual-tone voice, “Tau’ri, activate your MALP camera. I wish for you to witness this.”

As Sam watched, the red light blinked on the MALP camera.

“Very good,” Sam continued into the radio. She looked directly into the camera. _Time for the eyes,_ Sam told Shade. Sam felt her eyes tingle. “I am leaving this planet with this male. My host seems to like him. Male, tell them why we are leaving this planet,” Sam said in her dual-toned voice. With her booted foot she kicked Jack on the leg.

“Fine,” Jack snarled. “I’m fine, by the way. It got me out of the hell hole prison this planet decided to sent me to. This place is on the brink of civil war. I have not seen Daniel or Teal’c, just Carter. Recommend getting them the hell out of here, because we won’t be here.”

“Why don’t you…” General Hammond’s voice started.

Sam interrupted him, “My host says that the Tok’ra tunnels on Ravenna are no more. That is too bad. If she wants to leave a message for her father, that is the place it will be. He only has to find the Blair Witch Stones,” Sam said with her dual-tone voice before shutting down the wormhole.

_Thanks, Shade. You can turn off the voice now,_ Sam said, taking her hand off the center dome of the DHD.

_My pleasure, Sam,_ Shade said.

Sam started dialing another planet.

“A host?” Jack asked. Sam could detect the spite in his voice.

“Yes,” Sam replied in her normal voice. _Shade can you flash the eyes again?_ Sam asked. Then she felt her eyes tingle. Jack seemed to jump back. She sighed, “That is who I am trying to protect.”

“The goa’uld? You are trying to protect them? From what exactly?” Jack asked with waspish tone.

“She said that she ran away from Ra and he was trying to find her,” Sam started.

“But Ra is dead,” Jack snapped.

“I know that. I told her that. She didn’t know about his death until I told her,” Sam said.

“How could it not know? The goa’uld have been after our asses for his death for years,” Jack said.

Sam sighed, “She has been in hiding for centuries. She doesn’t have Jaffa. She doesn’t have ‘trappings’. She doesn’t even take unwilling hosts.”

Jack seemed to consider his answer, “Is it a Tok’ra? Because you know what Jolinar did to you.”

“No, she had never heard of the Tok’ra before. She had heard of Egeria. Apparently, Ra kept her and her sisters isolated,” Sam said. She finished dialing the address and waited for the Stargate to splash to life.

“Sisters?” Jack asked, cautiously.

“Other goa’uld queens,” Sam replied before she stepped through the wormhole.

Once on the other side, Sam waited for Jack to appear before she went over to the DHD and dialed another address.

“Queens?” Jack asked pointedly.

“Yes, queens. Before you ask, she didn’t tell me her name. She hasn’t used it in centuries. She said she doesn’t want to remember it,” Sam said.

Jack lapsed into silence as the traveled to another planet. Sam repeated the process in silence one last time. The last planet they emerged on was a trade planet. Sam led Jack through the large city towards the outskirts. They eventually ended up at a home that looked unused.

Sam walked up to the door. _Help me out here,_ Shade, Sam said.

_Under the bench,_ Shade directed her.

_The stone bench. That thing must weigh a ton,_ Sam said as she made her way over to the bench and lifted up the bench to move it aside.

_It does. But it is the perfect place for hiding the key,_ Shade said.

Sam picked up the key. She noted it was a special kind of goa’uld key that would only work with the naquadah in her blood. She unlocked the door and entered the home. _Cozy,_ Sam told Shade.

Jack and Sam stepped inside and started to explore their temporary home.

SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG

TO BE CONTINUED

WHO IS THE HIDDEN ONE

**Author's Note:**

> End Notes: 
> 
> Banshee. Wikipedia. 28 Feb 2021. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banshee
> 
> Leto: Greek Titan Goddess. Theoi Greek Mythology. 2017. https://www.theoi.com/Titan/TitanisLeto.html#:~:text=LETO%20was%20one%20of%20the,of%20modesty%20and%20womanly%20demure.
> 
> Scottish Names. Behind The Name. 10 Nov 2020. https://www.behindthename.com/
> 
> Work Title: Finding The Hidden One  
> Summary: SG-1 gets attacked on a routine mission. Jack and Sam get separated from Daniel and Teal’c and each other.   
> Series Information: The Hidden One  
> Rating: Explicit (E)  
> Archive Warnings: Rape/Non-Con  
> Fandom: Stargate (1994), Stargate SG-1: Season 5  
> Spoilers: Stargate (1994) Stargate SG-1: 0202 In The Line Of Duty, 0203 Prisoners, 0211 The Tok’ra pt. 1, 0212 The Tok’ra pt. 2, 0222 Out Of Mind, 0301 Into The Fire, 0310 Forever In A Day, 0413 The Curse, 0515 The Summit, 0516 Last Stand, 0517 Fail Safe   
> Relationship Categories: F/M   
> Pairing: Samantha ‘Sam’ Carter/Jack O’Neill  
> Characters: Jack O’Neill, Samantha ‘Sam’ Carter, Daniel Jackson, Teal’c, George Hammond, Original Characters,  
> Additional Tags: Action, Adventure, Violence (Minor, Graphic), Language (Explicit), Rape/Non-Con (implied, explicit), Friendship, Alternate Universe, Anal Sex, Drugs, Spoilers


End file.
